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Fast Food Nation9/10 - 3 reviews
 Fast Food Nation
Author: Eric Schlosser
Genre: Social and Cultural Studies
Fabulous insight into the world of fast food. I especially liked the history of how some chains evolved, and how McDonald's followed Walt Disney's demand for perfection and cleanliness.

It had me feeling a bit more sensitive to the treatment of animals for food. I am no vegetarian, but after reading this, I may have to rethink my position.

A must read for every young adult to educate them on how important it is to know exactly what you're feeding your body.
Reader: Karen in KailuaBookworm
Rated: 9/10     Review submitted on: June 20 2008

An interesting read looking at fast food, the meat industry, and related issues.
Quite in-depth, not overly one-sided, and well written.
Reader: FaithProfessional Reader
Rated: 9/10     Review submitted on: April 02 2006


'Tis6.5/10 - 2 reviews
 'Tis
Author: Frank McCourt
Genre: Biography and Memoirs
Comparing this book to his first work, it is slow and at times boring. I finished it because I kept hoping it would live up to
Reader: ChrisLight Reader
Rated: 4/10     Review submitted on: September 28 2006

Very good sequel to Angela's Ashes that picks off right where the first book left off.
The only part of this book I didn't enjoy were the sections on McCourt's experience with teaching - for some reason they just didn't have the same 'je ne sais quoi' as everything else he writes about.
I think McCourt's strength is his amazing honesty and ability to tell his story in a way that is so real - he doesn't leave out or gloss over the stuff that is embarrasing (or worse) to admit. Even though he is just describing 'everyday life' for him, it is intriguing to read. And his material comes across as humourous, despite the dark nature of much of his experience. The humour emerges naturally from his open, self-deprecating style, as opposed to seeming as though it was added in an effort to be funny. It just 'is' - I mean 'tis'.
Reader: FaithProfessional Reader
Rated: 9/10     Review submitted on: March 26 2006


Tuesdays with Morrie9.7/10 - 4 reviews
 Tuesdays with Morrie
Author: Mitch Albom
Genre: Biography and Memoirs
Quite good, better than I would have expected. Quite a good read!
Reader: Alan HanniganAvid Reader
Rated: 9/10     Review submitted on: July 06 2010

A beautiful story.

Only because I have read relatively few books in my time, I can not imagine a better written book about life, love and the reality of death.

Very enlightening and highly recommended. You will want to read this sooner rather than later.
Reader: KevanAverage Reader
Rated: 10/10     Review submitted on: April 23 2007


Eleven Minutes7/10 - 1 review
 Eleven Minutes
Author: Paulo Coelho
Genre: General Fiction
This was an light-hearted, easy to read 'adult fairy tale'. I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. I chose this book having read another by the author, only to discover this book is 'an erotic look at love and sex'.

Ultimately, this book is a tasteful look at love and sex in the modern world. This was a fairly enjoyable read, with likable characters and believable circumstances.
Reader: AllisonSuperb Reader
Rated: 7/10     Review submitted on: April 04 2006


Round Ireland with a Fridge8.5/10 - 2 reviews
 Round Ireland with a Fridge
Author: Tony Hawks
Genre: Travel and Adventure
Author Tony Hawks makes a drunken bet. Hilarity ensues. (See title).

There were a few places where the humour lagged a bit but overall the author is a very funny guy. For example, he mentions hanging out with nuns and how disappointed he is he didn't have more time with them as he 'wanted to chat about their lives, maybe ask one out. I like a challenge.' If you like that kind of wit, you'll like this book.

Part travel novel, part comedic diary -and while it sounded initially like a bit of a lark, it actually has some substance. Recommended.
Reader: FaithProfessional Reader
Rated: 9/10     Review submitted on: June 06 2007

This is a book based on an insane drunken bet, and the craziness that follows.

Tony Hawks, a British comedian, tells his tale of hitch-hiking around Ireland with a fridge, all to win a bet.

It's a fun, light-hearted book that is easy to read, uplifting and shows that sometimes its good to have a little bit of fun and spread some joy around.
Reader: AllisonSuperb Reader
Rated: 8/10     Review submitted on: April 09 2006


The Shroud of the Thwacker6/10 - 1 review
 The Shroud of the Thwacker
Author: Chris Elliott
Genre: Comedy
Wasn't sure what to expect from this book by the actor/comedian.

The book is actually pretty well written but is definitely in the comedy genre. It is funny at first, but gets tediously silly in places.

I think the idea was along the lines of a mocking version of the Da Vinci Code or novels like that.

I would have enjoyed the book much more if it had less silliness but preserved some of the funny style.
Reader: FaithProfessional Reader
Rated: 6/10     Review submitted on: April 10 2006


Morningside Heights5/10 - 1 review
 Morningside Heights
Author: Cheryl Mendelson
Genre: General Fiction
This is the second book I have read by this author, although it is the first in a trilogy.

'Morningside Heights' was HIGHLY predicable, and extremely similar to the second book in the series. Her books are formulaic and unoriginal.

The characters are interesting, but again there is no mystery as to what will happen as if you have read one book, you've read them all.
Reader: AllisonSuperb Reader
Rated: 5/10     Review submitted on: April 09 2006


Voyager5/10 - 1 review
 Voyager
Author: Diana Gabaldon
Genre: Historical Fiction
I found this book, the 3rd of the 'Outlander' series the hardest to read. It was seriously bloated (870 pages), and the story seemed to meander from one crisis to another.

I did like some aspects of the book, especially the beginning which differed in narrative style from its two predecesors. However, there were sections of this book that were narrated in the third person, or by another character which I found confusing and distracting from the general first person narrative.

Many of the storylines seemed entirely pointless, and thier only point was to drag the narrative on, sometimes for hundreds of pages.

Overall, I wouldn't recommed this book, but I'm already caught up in the series and the characters and will continue on to the next book to see how it unfolds.
Reader: AllisonSuperb Reader
Rated: 5/10     Review submitted on: April 19 2006


Full Catastrophe Living8/10 - 1 review
 Full Catastrophe Living
Author: Jon Kabat-Zinn
Genre: Health and Well-Being
The third book by this author that I've read recently. All 3 are very, very similar. I didn't finish this one but read the first half only. Seeing as you only really need to read any one of the 3, I'd recommend going with this one - I found it in the category of 'original and still the best'. Good detail about the program of stress reduction through mindfullness that began at the University of Massachusetts Medical Centre which allows the reader to adapt the program for use at home.
Reader: FaithProfessional Reader
Rated: 8/10     Review submitted on: April 22 2006


The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole7/10 - 1 review
 The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole
Author: Sue Townsend
Genre: Children's Literature
I first read this book about 15-20 years ago when I was growing up, and have always remembered it fondly.

In this book, Adrian Mole is 13 3/4, and through his diary we read a year in his life.

This book is funny, charming and easy to read. I did find that it started to lose its momentum towards the end, and my rating slipped 2 points by the time I reached the last page.

Overall, I would recommend this book, and it's enjoyable for adults as well as children.
Reader: AllisonSuperb Reader
Rated: 7/10     Review submitted on: April 28 2006


Feel The Fear: And Do It Anyway7/10 - 1 review
 Feel The Fear: And Do It Anyway
Author: Dr. Susan Jeffers
Genre: Health and Well-Being
The book started out fairly typically, talking about being afraid to move forward in life and how to overcome that.
I wasn't too thrilled with some of the affirmation sections (affirmations are not for me) and liked some of the content more than the rest.
However, as the book went on it went deeper and became more about living a fulfilled, happy life generally and I became more impressed.
I'm not big on self-help books for the most part but if you are I'd say this would be a good one.
Reader: FaithProfessional Reader
Rated: 7/10     Review submitted on: May 02 2006


Fallen9/10 - 1 review
 Fallen
Author: David Maine
Genre: Historical Fiction
The is a most intersting re-telling of the story of Cain & Abel and Adam & Eve. The unique structure of the book - told in reserve with 4 different narrators gives this novel an feeling all its own.

I really enjoyed this book right from the start, and found unlike most books it actually picks up towards the end, I did find that it wasn't the quickest book to read. Due to the backwards nature of the narrative, it gave the book this eerie sense, of knowing the future, but not knowing the past. This gives the reader an odd perspective. It wasn't till the end of the book (the actual beginning of the story) that it all starts to make sense.

This is quite interesting and very unusual, and this is a book I would recommend and would love to read again.
Reader: AllisonSuperb Reader
Rated: 9/10     Review submitted on: May 03 2006


The Three Incestuous Sisters4.5/10 - 2 reviews
 The Three Incestuous Sisters
Author: Audrey Niffenegger
Genre: General Fiction
Hey,
I loved this book, and read it after The Time Traveler's Wife.
It's not a book but an aquatinted visual novel.
Very warped and very creative.
I have always loved graphic novels and this one didn't dissapoint.
The 3 incestuous sisters was 14 years in the making, partially because it takes so darned long to do the aquatints, and partially because of Time Traveller's Wife sneaking in there...
I very much respect this book-
The themes are difficult, still-birth, loversharing, death. Yup it's short and heavy.
Reader: Dinah DLight Reader
Rated: 8/10     Review submitted on: August 07 2008

This was a disappointing second 'novel' after the wonderful first novel 'The Time Traveller's Wife'.

While I must give some points for originality, this illustrated novel made me feel I was reading a bad adult novel meant for a two year old, but with adult themes.

Although I was suprised to discover this was an illustrated novel, I was disappointed that the story behind the illustrations were so weak, and felt like an afterthought. Her first novel was so full of life and interesting characters, and this book lacked all that made 'Time Traveller's Wife' so wonderful.

DO NOT READ THIS BOOK. The only positive thing I can say is it only took me about 15 minutes to 'read', so I didn't waste much time with this book.
Reader: AllisonSuperb Reader
Rated: 1/10     Review submitted on: May 03 2006


The Blind Watchmaker6/10 - 1 review
 The Blind Watchmaker
Author: Richard Dawkins
Genre: Science and Nature
This book was recommended by a friend.
I barely managed to make it through.
I like Dawkins' style in that there is some wit, but he can be a little pedantic in my opinion. The book becomes a little bland as a treatise on why evolution is the best theory to explain the origins and continued development/proliferation of life. I also found that he never addressed some of the aspects I would have liked to see, cultural evolution and so forth. For example, how is evolution affected by humans using birth control? Does this change the idea of the most successful members of a species as those that have the greatest number of viable offspring? The watchmaker may have been blind but we are now tinkering with the watch itself are we not?
Reader: FaithProfessional Reader
Rated: 6/10     Review submitted on: May 05 2006


About The Author8.5/10 - 2 reviews
 About The Author
Author: John Colapinto
Genre: General Fiction
I'm not quite sure what it is about this book that I like so much, but on my second reading, years after the first, I had difficulty putting the book down.

The author writes a first person account about his inability to write a novel and the unexpected twists and turns his life takes over the next few years.

This original plot and surprisingly likable main character pull me into the richly told story of the authors life.
Reader: AllisonSuperb Reader
Rated: 8/10     Review submitted on: April 18 2008

Interesting book - I found the concept somewhat original (plot revolves around a writer writing a book). I didn't find it impossible to put down (Stephen King and others said this about it) but it was good all the way through and I didn't find the plot obvious or overdone. Interesting turns of phrase in places contributed to the originality and the feeling of really knowing the narrator.
Reader: FaithProfessional Reader
Rated: 9/10     Review submitted on: May 13 2006


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